Guess What? Being Child-Free Is Totally Okay
News about celebrities getting pregnant is often celebrated by the public. As you know, we Filipinos tend to be invested in famous personalities, and seeing them flourish into motherhood is something we find exciting. On the other hand, there are few who have expressed their non-interest in having their own child. Recently, Megan Young gets candid about her fear of getting pregnant citing the risk that comes with it. In an interview with Nadine Lustre in 2021, she stated that having a baby is not on her plan but she’ll rather adopt if she wants one in the future. Good thing, these statements get positive reactions from netizens.
In rich nations like Japan and South Korea, the fertility rate is declining. In 2021, Japan recorded 1.8 while South Korea set down 0.81. 2.1 is the fertility rate needed to maintain a stable population of a country. South Korean women also preferred to have a baby at a later age. Two of the said reasons are high living costs and rising house prices.
It is far from our reality here in the Philippines where the fertility rate in 2020 amounted to 2.49 children per woman. In fact, we are currently the 13th most populated country in the world as per National Population Clock. On top of that, teenage pregnancy is still a national issue, with it surging during the pandemic.
Child-free by choice
Despite this, people on social media are becoming more vocal about their intention to be child-free. Posts about this are getting more shares which somehow implies that more people are thinking of the same thing. In an article in Cosmopolitan Philippines about this subject, one Facebook user commented “The world we live in today is not a place to raise a child.” Other people are stating financial instability for not wanting to bear a child.
Your body, your rules
Of course, there are still comments pointing out that a woman can never be fulfilled nor feel contentment without being a mother. But who are they to dictate what to do with your body and most especially, your life? Being a parent is a lifetime commitment and it is definitely not an easy task. Such a huge responsibility shouldn’t be done rashly.
We’ve heard it over and over again: your body, your rules. Being a mother won’t define a woman’s worth and imposing these values on anyone will never be right. After all, we only have one life to live and it’s up to us what journey to take.
